After more than 15 years of delays, the Jaén tramway system is expected to be nearing its long-awaited launch. With the final award of the operating contract, ongoing test runs along the entire route and the preparation of operational staff, the project is now in its decisive final phase. The regional government, the Junta de Andalucía, now considers the conditions for the start of passenger services to be largely in place.
The award of the operating contract represented an important milestone. The Junta de Andalucía has awarded the operational management of the system to the UTE (Unión Temporal de Empresas) comprising the Spanish Grupo Ruiz and the Portuguese Barraqueiro. The contract covers the operational management of the tram system for an initial period of four years, with a possible extension for a further year. The contract value amounts to approximately 13.2 million euros. In addition to train operations, the contract also covers customer service, security services, cleaning, operational planning and the management of the park-and-ride facilities.
The signing of the contract in mid-May 2026 also marked the start of the next project phase. The operating consortium announced that it would be hiring around 60 staff for future operations. These include train drivers, control centre staff, security personnel, and staff for customer service and technical operations. Recruitment and training are already underway and are considered a key prerequisite for the start of operations.
In parallel, technical test runs were being further intensified along the entire 4.7-kilometre route to test all systems under real operating conditions. Signalling technology, power supply, communication systems and priority control at junctions are included in this. Furthermore, the test runs serve to validate journey times, safety procedures and operational processes. The ongoing tests build on the extensive test runs of recent months, which have been gradually expanded since the end of 2025.
The road to this point has been long and marked by numerous setbacks. Although the infrastructure was completed as early as 2011, local political conflicts, funding issues and organisational problems prevented the system from coming into service for years – despite investments of more than €110 million having already been made! Between 2012 and 2021, there was virtually no significant activity; the five Alstom Citadis 302 low-floor trams (built in 2007 and purchased new from Madrid as being surplus to requirements) were stored within the depot, the infrastructure fell into disrepair and now made extensive renovation work unavoidable.
The tendering process for the operating contract also led to significant delays. Initially, a joint venture (UTE) involving Alsa was intended to act as the operator, but it was excluded due to formal shortcomings in the submission of documents. Subsequently, the Avanza Group’s bid, which had come second, also failed. Only then was the Ruiz-Barraqueiro UTE able to secure the contract. Several review procedures and legal appeals further prolonged the process.
According to the operators and the regional government, the Tranvía de Jaén is set to carry regular passengers for the first time in autumn 2026. This would mean that one of Andalusia’s best-known infrastructure projects would finally enter commercial operation after a decade and a half of inactivity. The tram system connects central areas of the city, including the railway station, the bus station, the university district and key residential and commercial areas, via a route with ten stops. Those responsible see this as an important contribution to sustainable mobility and the modernisation of public transport in Jaén.
Despite the progress now visible, public perception remains cautious. Launch dates announced on several occasions in the past could not be met – we optimistically reported here back in 2023: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/jaen-the-tram-will-finally-start-operation-but-not-until-2024/ .
It is also undoubtedly remarkable that it took just two years to build the entire system and launch provisional operations with free rides in May 2011, whereas more than seven years have passed since the Junta de Andalucía’s decision to commence full operations, without the trams having been put into public service to date. However, the now-completed award of the operating contract, the ongoing system tests and the training of operational staff are seen as the clearest signs to date that commissioning is indeed imminent. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
